


Memories of a Home that no longer is

by The_benefits_of_a_doubt



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Angst, Auguste and Hennike are doing their best to get Laurent to not die but he be stubborn, Canon-Typical Violence, Execution, Laurent can talk to ghosts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 17:56:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19399390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_benefits_of_a_doubt/pseuds/The_benefits_of_a_doubt
Summary: He did not know if it was his impending execution that made him so eager to see the things he had never before paid any attention to, or if it was simply his mind seeking relief from the boredom of house arrest. Despite his wish for some peace and quiet during these last years, he could not help but miss the excitement of court life as it had been. At least then he would have something to do, even if those activities consisted of never-ending scheming, maneuvering, and careful planning.“You could have stopped this, you know?” Auguste said in a low voice, leaning against the large window. “Taken Damianos’ offer. Gotten yourself out of this mess. You could have done it. You still can.”-----------Laurent has a conversation with his late brother and mother, and they seek to make him realize that no, they would not be offended if he was to ask Damianos of Akielos for some aid if it meant saving himself from certain death.





	Memories of a Home that no longer is

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So I've had this idea for a while but I didn't wanna post it because I wanted to make it longer and more detailed, but then it felt forced and it started kinda being a chore to write it so I gave up and now I'm gonna post the first idea without any of the other stuff that I wrote. 
> 
> just to clear things up, Laurent does have an ability to talk to his family's ghosts, but authorial intent is dead yall you can see it as Laurent's ability to summon them somehow, or them having free will and appearing and disappearing as they wish. If I can't get Auguste lives au then ghost Auguste is my go to since I read that one fic where Auguste followed Laurent around and was there for him during the important events of his life. Either way, Auguste is gonna be in as many of my writings as possible bc I adore my man and can and will use any excuse possible to include him yes.

Watching the sunset on the horizon of Arles, Laurent couldn’t help but wonder whether this will be the last sunset he would ever see. The mix of colors was unlike anything he had ever witnessed, hues of purple and orange coloring the sky, with the last breaths of sunlight escaping through the clouds to bathe the chambers of the former crown prince in a warm glow. 

He did not know if it was his impending execution that made him so eager to see the things he had never before paid any attention to, or if it was simply his mind seeking relief from the boredom of house arrest. Despite his wish for some peace and quiet during these last years, he could not help but miss the excitement of court life as it had been. At least then he would have something to do, even if those activities consisted of never-ending scheming, maneuvering, and careful planning.

“You could have stopped this, you know?” Auguste said in a low voice, leaning against the large window. “Taken Damianos’ offer. Gotten yourself out of this mess. You could have done it. You still can.”

Laurent took his time, not looking away from the sky. Then, mildly “ Taken Damianos’ offer? He killed you, Auguste.”

“In a battlefield. He did not conspire against him or act dishonorably, he defeated him in fair single combat. And even if he had been dishonorable, my dear, what is done is done. Let him make up for his actions.” Queen Hennike whispered, sitting next to Laurent and gently caressing his cheek.

“You would forgive him for taking Auguste from me? From Vere? If it was not for him I would not be in this situation in the first place. If it was not for him Auguste would have been king and I....” Laurent failed to finish, his throat too tight to continue speaking. It was in these moments that his anger at Damianos was so overwhelming that it felt purely physical. It was all he felt. It was the pain in his heart and the crescent-shaped fingernail prints in the palm of his hand and the burning in his eyes.

“Even if i had not faced Damianos in Marlas, he would have still found a way. He managed to kill father, the king. A crown prince, suddenly put in charge of a nation plagued by a war who had no future, grieving the death of his father, and traumatized from the battlefield still? The possibilities are endless, Laurent, and he would have had his way somehow. Do not blame the actions of our uncle on Damianos.” Auguste said softly.

Hennike made a gesture as if she was to gently turn Laurent’s head a bit to make him look at her, and of course, her hand went right through his face, but Laurent did as she wished anyways. “My Laurent, please, please, take his offer. I can not see you throw your life away because of a misguided sense of vengeance.” The queen’s voice trembled, and Laurent would have given anything to be able to hold her just once, to comfort her and tell her that it was okay. That he had made his peace with it.

“It is not only vengeance, Mama. I can not swallow my pride for long enough to allow Auguste’s killer to grant me refuge like some sort of traitor who is running from his own country.” 

“But what is the difference? He will do the same. He will execute you as a traitor to Vere, and that is how you will be remembered. So why not be known as a traitor and be alive?” Auguste said, his voice rising as it usually did as he became more and more desperate to make Laurent see reason. 

“You think i should do it then? You think i should take his offer and elope with him and leave Vere in the hands of our uncle?” 

“You could come back. After the dust had settled, you can take your time and gather your forces and take Vere back. You will never get a chance at that with your head on a spike.” Then, as if the image pained him too much, he walked over to where Laurent was seated, sitting at his right so that Laurent would be between him and the queen. “And if what is hindering you is your loyalty to Vere, do not let it. I would let Vere burn to ashes if it meant you would get to live, little brother.”

Laurent chuckled bitterly, staring at the ground. The three sat in silence for a while, as the dusk slowly turned to night. As if suddenly he had remembered something, Auguste turned to him, a glint in his eyes. “Besides, who said anything about elopement? He simply offered you asylum.” 

“Oh please, Auguste. He might not have said it directly, but his intentions were clear enough.” 

“I suppose I did see how he was looking at you, but eloping together? You seem to be a couple of steps ahead of him, little brother.” Auguste smiled, and Laurent would have moved to hit him, had his brother had a physical body.

“Don’t embarrass him, Auguste. Do you not remember why we are visiting?” Queen Hennike said, incredulous.

“I thought you two are visiting me to keep me company in my final hours?” 

“Nonsense. We would see you as much as we wanted anyway if you were to die.” Auguste rose, slapping his hands on his upper thighs like he always did when he was alive. Laurent heard the sound, but he knew for a fact that no one else would have. Just like they could not actually see them. He wished that among sight and hearing, he had been allowed touch too, so maybe his mother could have embraced him like she had when his first pony had gotten ill and had to be put down, or maybe Auguste could have hugged him, playfully squeezing him so hard that Laurent could swear he heard something crack, like he always did after returning from long diplomatic trips.

“Get up, Laurent. Go to him. Right now.” Auguste urged him, half commanding, half pleading.

“How are you sure he would even have me? I made sure to reject his offer rudely enough to put him in his place.”

“He will. Trust me, dear” Queen Hennike said gently, smiling that kind smile of hers.

A beat of silence, a final weighing of options. They were running out of time, and all three knew it. The revenge he would never get to achieve were he to be executed tomorrow, facing the one that he could have if he so wished. A small inconvenience against the grand scheme of things.

He would not be happy or comfortable, by any means, but he could be once he got them all to pay. 

And he would make them pay.


End file.
